Coin-freed mechanism for gas or other fluid meters.



' .254. PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905.

- B. R. BEALE 65 A. E. BAGNALL. 00m FREED MECHANISM FOR GAS OR OTHER FLUID METERS.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 8. 1904.

- 5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

w zdd cfd/ I 1 fiVezz-fawfi fifii'i i'am R, Beak 0799-60217, Ba naZZ PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905. B. R. BEALE & A. E. BAGNALL. COIN FREED MECHANISM FOR GAS OR OTHER FLUID METERS.

APPLIUATIOH FILED AUG. 8. 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fia fizzom 67 ray/0.21 Bea Ze M 6 red EZ B na ll ,5

[5/ M ZmM I "zuzzeav'fa No. 779,254. PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905.

B. R. BEALE & A. E. BAGNALL. COIN PREED MECHANISM FOR GAS OR OTHER FLUID METERS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 8. 1904.

E SHEETS-SHEET 3.

No. 779,254. PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905. B. R. BEALB & A. E. BAGNALL.

COIN FREED MECHANISM FOR GAS OR OTHER FLU ID METERS.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 8. 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4 No. 779,254. PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905. B. R. BBALE & A. E. BAGNALL. COIN FREED MECHANISM FOR GAS OR OTHER FLUID METERS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 8. 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

java/Z501 Bc riralrQZZ Bea Z9 (/92 i'ddflzayzawzl B r Q dicating-dial.

UNITED 8TATEs Patented January 3, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

BERTRAM ROBERT BEALE AND ALFRED ERNEST BAGNALL, OF LONDON, ENGLAND; SAID BAGNALL ASSIGNOR TO SAID BEALE.

COlN-FREED MECHANISM FOR GAS OR OTHER FLUID METERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,254, dated January 3, 1905'.

Application filed August 8,1904. Serial No. 219,997.

To aZZ "whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, BERTRAM ROBERT BEALE, residing at 82 Victoria street, and ALFRED ERNEST BAGNALL, residing at 38 Leadenhall street, London, England, subjects of the King of Great Britain, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in (Join- Freed Mechanism for Gas or other Fluid Meters, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to construct the coin-freed mechanism for gas and other fluid meters in a simple manner for efficient action, any predetermined number of coins being capable of insertion into the apparatus.

Our invention will be fully understood from the following description, aided by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a gas-meter. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the coin-freed mechanism applied to the top part of a meter. Fig. 3 is a plan of the upper part of a meter and the coin-freed mechanism. Fig. 1 is an elevation of the valve and valve-operating wiper, one of the actuating wheels being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the gear-wheels for operating the shaft. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the indicating-dial. Fig; 7 is an end view of a modified form of gas-valve-operating mechanism, and Fig. 8 a plan of same. Fig. 9 is an elevation of the in- Fig. 10 is a view of a modified form and mechanism for operating one of the wheels from the index mechanism.

According to Figs. 1 to 6, which illustrate the simplest form of the invention, we connect to the meter-casing a rotatable shaft 1 by brackets 2. This shaft has aflixed to it two ratchet-toothed wheels 3 4 and also carries a wheel 5. The teeth of the wheels 3 5 extend in opposite directions with respect to each other. Surrounding the upper edge of the wheel 3 is a curved arm 6, pivoted at 7 to a bell-crank 8,carried on the shaft 1. The frame 6 carries at one end a nose 9 and tooth 10 and at the other end a weight 11, which finds a resting-place on the free end of the bellcrank 8. On the shaft 1 and adjustably connected to the bracket 2 is a slotted quadrant 12, a pin 13 on the bell-crank 8 having a movement in the slot 14 of the quadrant 12, so that such bell-crank 8 and the arm 6 are limited in their action. The wheels 4 5 are frictionally attached to each other, and the wheel 5 carries a pawl 15, controlled by a spring 16, which pawl 15 slips over the teeth of the wheel 1 when the wheels 3 and 1 are being moved. On the shaft 1 is fixed at one end a wiper 17, which has action on the gasvalve 18 to close same when the shaft 1 is rotated by the rod 19, as in Fig. 2, or by the gear-wheels 19, as in Fig. 10, pulling over or rotating the wheel 5, which rod 19 is actuated by a crank 20 from a wheel 21, or the gear of a gear-wheel of the index mechanism on such mechanism being operated by the meter mechanism, as is usual, the frictional grip between the two wheels 4 5 being suflicient to insure the valve closing. The other end of the shaft 1 carries a pointer 22, which moves over a dial 23 for indicating the number of coins inserted or the amount of gas to be consumed. 24 is the coin-chute,

and 25 the money-pocket formed in a cylinder 26, this being actuated by a handle 27 in one direction, a reverse movement being prevented by the pawl 28 engaging teeth of a wheel 29, fixed on the axle 30 of the cylinder 26. 27 is a pawl for preventing reverse movement of the wheel 5.

The above-described appliances are suitable for operation by the insertion of, say, any number of coins up to twelve, the shaft 1 only making approximately one revolution; but when it is desired that a larger number of coins be inserted one after another up to, say, thirty-six it is necessary that the shaft 1 be revolved about three times, and to effect this the appliances shown at Figs. 7 and 8 have been devised.

The shaft 1 at its operating end is screwthreaded, as at 31, and carries the wiper 17, which has a slot 32 cut in it for engaging the rod 33 of the gas-valve 18 and kept thereon by a button 34, and the other end of the shaft is provided with a pinion 35, which gears with a wheel 36, carrying a pointer 22, which moves over the dial 23 at the rate of one revolution to, say, three of the shaft. The button 34 can be adjusted to suit the position of shut-off of the valve 18.

Now, supposing the appliance be set in the position shown at Figs. 2 and 3 and the gasvalve closed, a coin is dropped into the chute 24, and it falls into the pocket 25 of the cylinder 26. The cylinder 26 is revolved, and the coin will press against the nose 9 of the curved arm 6 and force the tooth 10 into action with one of the teeth of the wheel 3, a further movement of the coin forcing round the Wheels 3 and 4 and shaft 1 until the coin leaves the nose 9, when it falls into the moneybox 37, and the weighted arm 6 returns to its normal position and leaving the wheels 3 and 4 and the shaft 1 in the position set. At the same time the axle 1 has been revolved to indicate on the dial 23 that a coin has been inserted, and simultaneously it has removed the Wiper 17 from the gas-valve 18 and opened the gas-supply for the meter to start action on the turning on of a gas-tap. The same action takes place on the insertion of each coin up to, say, twelve, by which time the wiper 17 has reached the end of its travel, and the appliances cannot be moved by the coins any farther. The gas-supply being established and the gas consumed, the bellows through the usual mechanism operates the usual index mechanism, and in this we provide a wheel 21, preferably the changewheel, as described. in our former United States Patent, No. 722,554, dated March 10, 1903, and to this wheel 21 is fitteda crank 20, which carries a rod 19, having a catch-tooth 38 at its free end. This tooth 38 slides over the teeth of the wheel 5 when the crank 20 is traveling in one direction; but on the return journey the tooth of the rod 19 engages the teeth of the wheel 5 and revolves the same and by the frictional contact of the two wheels 4 5 also revolves the shaft, and in consequence the wiper 17 is moved to close the gas-valve 18, the crank 20 continuing its action until the valve 18 is completely closed, when a fresh insertion of a coin or coins reopens the valve.

According to Figs. 7 and 8 the wiper 17 is slidable along the screwed end 31 of the shaft 1, and in the position shown at Fig. 8 the gasvalve 18 is fully open, and on the revolution of the shaft 1, as just described, the screwed end 31 will revolve in the female thread portion of the wiper 17 and cause same to travel for the pin 33 to be at the other end of the slot 32, and then by reason of the wiper 17 not being able to travel any farther the shaft 1 will carry the wiper 17 round with it, and

thus close the valve 18. The return motion of the shaft 1 will move the Wiper 17 back again and allow the valve to open.

The quadrant 12 is adjustable to determine the degree of movement by each coin of the wheels 3 4 and shaft 1 and wiper l7, and thus determine the amount of gas to be consumed for each coininserted, the adjustment placing the nose 9 in the desired position for action by. the coins-that is to say, if in the normal condition the quadrant 12 is placed with its highest and consequently have with the wheel 3 a greater travel; but if the quadrant 12 is placed with the slot 14 in the highest position the nose 9 will be lower and in consequence not have such a length of travel.

The slot 32 in the wiper and the screw 31 can be of any length to suit the desired number of coins, and the closing of the valve may be effected by the wiper coming to the end of its travel on the rod being revolved.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. 1n coin-freed mechanism for gas and other fluid meters the combination of a shaft 1 carrying three toothed wheels 3, 4, and 5, the wheels 3 and 4 being secured to the shaft 1 and the wheel 5 loose on the shaft but frictionally attached to the wheel 4, a spring-com trolled pawl on wheel 5 engaging wheel 4 a wiper 17 on said shaft 1 for engaging the gasvalve, an index-pointer 22 on said shaft for indicating the number of coins inserted or amount of gas to be consumed, a bellcrank lever 8 pivoted on shaft 1, a curved weighted lever 6 pivoted on one end of bell-crank lever and having a bearing at the other end, a quadrant 12 for determining the position of lever 6, nose 9 and tooth 10 on lever 6 revolving coin-pocket 26 rod or gear 19 connected to crank 20 or a gear-wheel or index-wheel 21 for engaging wheel 5, the whole being constructed and operating substantially as set forth.

2. In a coin-freed mechanism for gas and other fluid meters, the combination with a gasvalve having a rod and a head, of a wiper for actuating said valve, said wiper provided with a slot and adapted to receive said rod, and a rotatable shaft for actuating the wiper, said shaft provided with a screw-threaded end upon which the wiper is mounted, said wiper traveling upon said screw-threaded end before it is actuated by the shaft to open and close the gas-valve.

3. In a coin-freed mechanism for gas and other fluid meters, the combination with a gasvalve and a wiper for opening and closing it, of a rotatable shaft, abell-crank carried thereby, a wheel upon said shaft for operating the wiper, a weighted lever pivoted to the bellcrank and adapted to actuate the wheel, an adjustable slotted quadrant mounted upon said IIQ shaft and adapted to have its movement ar- 1 our hands in presence of two subscribing Witrested, and a pin carried by the bell-crank and nesses.

engaging in the quadrant and adapted to limit BERTRAM ROBERT BEALE.

the movement of the bell-crank, thereby regu- ALFRED ERNEST BAGNALL. 5 lating the travel of said wheel and the amount Witnesses:

of gas to be consumed. WM. 0. BROWN,

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set PERCY E. MATTOGKS. 

